Nehemiah 8

1All the people gathered as one man into the plaza before the water gate, and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded Israel.

2Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand by hearing, on the first day of the seventh month.

3He read it before the square facing the Water Gate from morning until midday, in view of the men and the women and those who understood, and the ears of all the people turned to the book of the law.

4Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform they had made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right, and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5Ezra opened the book before all the people—for he was above all the people—and when he opened it, all the people stood.

6Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," raising their hands; then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves to Yahweh with faces to the ground.

7Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites explained the law to the people, and the people stood in their places.

8They read clearly from the book of God's law and explained its meaning, so that they understood what was read.

9Nehemiah the Tirshatha, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who instructed the people said to everyone, "Today is holy to Yahweh your God; do not grieve or weep, for all the people wept upon hearing the words of the law."

10He said to them, "Go, eat rich food, drink sweet beverages, and send shares to those lacking any preparation, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for Yahweh's joy is your strength."

11The Levites hushed all the people, saying, "Be silent, for the day is holy; do not grieve."

12All the people went to eat and drink, to distribute portions, and to rejoice greatly, because they had understood the words that had been made known to them.

13On the second day the heads of the fathers among all the people, the priests, and the Levites gathered to Ezra the scribe to understand the words of the law.

14They found written in the law that Yahweh had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel dwell in booths at the festival in the seventh month.

15And that they should announce and proclaim aloud in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain and bring olive branches, oil-tree branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and thick-tree branches to make booths, as it is written.”

16The people went out and brought them, and made booths for themselves—each man on his roof, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God's house, in the square at the water gate, and in the square at the gate of Ephraim.

17All the assembly of returnees from captivity made booths and dwelt in them, for since the days of Jeshua son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great joy.

18Every day from the first day to the last, he read from the book of God's law. They kept the festival seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly as the regulation required.